Relief, Gratitude, and Silver Linings: Candidates Speak

By the time the sun rose Nov. 9 the two contested Jefferson County races appeared to have clear winners, as Sheriff candidate Tom Grimsrud led Chad Cross 3,358 to 2,524 and county commission candidate Dan Hagerty led Mary Janacaro Hensleigh 3,950 to 1,770. The Board of Canvassers will certify the election. As the process is finalized, however, candidates have accepted the results. All four spoke with The Monitor and shared their thoughts on the election results and what their priorities are moving forward.

Tom Grimsrud relieved, excited for the road ahead: Jefferson County Sheriff-elect Tom Grimsrud can take a deep breath and celebrate being the victor after a long and arduous campaign.

“I’m looking forward to the challenges of being sheriff more than the campaign-related challenges,” he said.

Election Day was intense, Grimsrud said, but rewarding. After 32 years in law enforcement, he’s grateful he took the leap. He’s particularly grateful for the people of the county who went above and beyond for him.

“When the election started people offered encouragement, monetary support and lifted me up – even at the lowest moments,” he said. “I’m so humbled by their support.”

Grimsrud said he’s also grateful for outgoing Jefferson County Sheriff Craig Doolittle, whom he considers a mentor.

“[Doolittle] congratulated me and included me in some decisions that have to be made before the first of the year,” Grimsrud said. “He said he’d be available whenever questions arise that I need guidance on.”

Grimsrud added that Doolittle has run the office very efficiently, and – as the new sheriff – he does not plan on making major changes. Changes in the office depend largely on the needs of the community. In order to determine these needs, Grimsrud said he wants to hear from the people of the county and will be intentional about being accessible.

“I want people of the county to know I’m happy to have a conversation anytime,” he said.

One of the main priorities moving forward, Grimsrud said, involves school safety, and incorporating equal coverage between the north and south county.

“I want to be consistent and fair,” he said. “The longer you stay consistent the more trust can be developed.”

A race between two members of the same sheriff’s office can get tense, and Grimsrud said he’ll do what he can to make sure the office stays unified. It’s important, Grimsrud said, to build trust and unity between the Boulder and Whitehall locations.

“I want to have more of a presence in Whitehall,” Grimsrud said. “I want to attend fire meetings, games, and other public events.”

Despite the campaign having its stressors, Grimsrud said he was ultimately encouraged by the civility involved.

“I thought because of the political climate it’d be harder to go door-to-door, but it wasn’t,” he said. “Knocking on doors, people were so gracious, whether it was Whitehall, Boulder, Basin, or other communities, whether they were voting for me or not.”

But he couldn’t have done it, he said, without his wife, Rita.

“She made the difference,” he said. “She kept reminding me how important it was that I keep getting out there.”

Lastly, Grimsrud said he appreciates his opponent, Chad Cross.

“I look forward to working with Captain Cross and incorporating some of his vision pertaining to the sheriff’s office,” said Grimsrud. “I’m also fortunate because Chad lives in Whitehall and his input will be somewhat of a direct link to the concerns that the southern portion of the county has and their specific needs.”

Chad Cross grateful for the outpouring of support in Whitehall: Jefferson County Sheriff candidate Chad Cross feels the sting of defeat, but he’s still got a job to do, one he said he’ll continue to take pride in and give his all. It’s disappointing, he said, but live – and work – goes on.

“We did what we could do,” he said, referring to his campaign team and those who voted for him. “That’s just the way it goes.”

Cross will continue to work for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office from Whitehall, where he pledged to “do what I can to try and make Jefferson County a better place for all of us to live, raise our families and enjoy life.”

Although the outcome isn’t what he hoped for, Cross considers the election a good experience.

“I’m extremely grateful for the support I received here in Whitehall and throughout the county,” he said. “I got to meet a lot of people and got to hear a lot of concerns. There are a lot of things I can bring back to the office and – as a department – we can try to do what we can to try and address these concerns.”

Most issues expressed to Cross were about drugs, he said, but he also heard concerns about peoples’ constitutional rights being infringed upon, something he’s passionate about protecting. This was a big part of his platform as a staunch defender of Montana’s Constitution.

Cross said it’s too early to say whether he will run for sheriff again, but he considers the race a learning experience and plans to continue to learn as he goes.

“There’s a lot about this experience I’m grateful for, especially just having the chance to get out and meet people,” he said. “I don’t get to work the north end of the county as much as other people do. It was great to hear how things are going for others. It was worth the time to hear what they have going on and get a better understanding of what’s going on. I appreciated getting out and seeing what’s going on in their neighborhoods.”

Dan Hagerty excited for the opportunity to give ‘We the People’ a voice: The results are in, and Dan Hagerty is officially Jefferson County commissioner-elect, defeating opponent Mary Janacero Hensleigh by a final tally of 3,950 to 1,770.

Now that the grueling campaign is over, Hagerty is ready to get right to work.

“I’m ready to go,” he said. “I feel confident about it. It’s going to be interesting. It’s going to be an adventure.”

On Nov. 15, at the first commission meeting after the election, Hagerty was there meeting with his new team, commissioners Cory Kirsch and Bob Mullen, as well as outgoing commissioner Leonard Wortman, the longtime chair who Hagerty will replace.

“I was planning on being there, win or lose,” Hagerty said. “I’m eager and willing to learn and understand the issues that impact those in the county.”

There’s a lot of work ahead, Hagerty said, so he wants to get a head start. He wants to further understand the needs and the interests of the community and work with his new teammates to find solutions.

“I want to bring people – and entities – together,” he said. “ I want harmony.”

Hagerty said he particularly wants harmony between Boulder and Whitehall, and all the organizations that cover both districts. Considering his law enforcement background, Hagerty said he wants to emphasize teamwork regarding public safety. He’d like to see the county unify, especially when it comes to having enough first responders.”

Of course, Hagerty understands he has a lot to learn, but he’s anxious to get started and grateful for the opportunity. He’s particularly grateful, he said, for the outpouring of support from voters.

“I’m ecstatic and overwhelmed. I feel so great about everybody confiding in me,” he said. “It made me feel like, yes, I’m still part of this, and I am ready to serve the folks of the whole county.”

Hagerty will be sworn in on Jan. 1, 2023, and, in the meantime, he hopes to keep learning as much as he can.

“At least I’ll have some insight when I step into that door,” he said. “Gaining knowledge, I feel, is the number one thing to prioritize.”

Hagerty reiterated his tagline that he is a strong proponent of “We the People,” of everyone working together and having a unified voice. Hagerty said he wants everyone to feel represented. This being the case, the new commissioner wants to set up an office in Whitehall as well as Boulder.

“If I’m supposed to represent everyone in the county, everyone needs a place to go and voice their opinions,” he said. “I don’t want the people of the community to waste their own fuel. I prefer to have a presence in both towns.”

Hagerty said he has some ideas on a spot in Whitehall but nothing is set in stone.

Reflecting on the campaign, Hagerty said – regardless of the outcome – he’s glad to be on the other side.

“It’s been a long race,” he said. “I’ve been involved in this for over a year. All in all it’s been a neat experience, but it’s been a lot of work.”

Hagerty also thanked his opponent, Mary Hensleigh.

“I wish her the best in her future endeavors,” he said.

Mary Hensleigh sees silver lining in election loss: On Nov. 11, Mary Hensleigh stopped by the Monitor for a post-election interview, and immediately expressed relief for not becoming the newest Jefferson County Commissioner.

“I don’t want to have to do that drive from Whitehall to Boulder so often,” she said. “The road is terrible.”

Hensleigh, who has three more years in her term as mayor of Whitehall, said she enjoys the job and looks forward to continuing in the role.

“People had asked me to run for county commissioner, so I did, and I think it’s good for people to have a choice,” she said. “People made their choice, and now it’s time to move on.”

Hensleigh is doing exactly that, she said, brushing off the loss and sharing a quote from actor Albert Finney that brought her closure.

“A man learns nothing from winning. The act of losing, however, can elicit great wisdom, not least of which is how much more enjoyable it is to win. It’s inevitable to lose now and again. The trick is not to make a habit of it.”

Lastly, Hensleigh said she wishes Hagerty the best in his new role as county commissioner.

“I think he’ll do a fine job,” she said. “He’s from here, he knows the area, he knows a lot of people and he did a good job campaigning.”